Frye
by AuroraNeutron
Summary: Jacob Frye is confident and sure of everything he does, except romance apparently. Clearly he doesn't even know what falling in love is. He is about to find out when his feelings for Flora Gordon become clear to him, and eventually everyone else.
1. Chapter 1: 'Wait a second'

***Jacob's POV***

I thought this pub was safe from my sister and Greenie and that little urchin Clara. I was minding my own damn business and having a good old fashion piss up with my Rooks, as usual, then those three bloody walk in; what are they doing bringing a child here of all places? Evie always finds the pub we end up in and always brings Greenie, they insist it's not to babysit me but I don't believe it. This time was different though, this time Flora had come with them and this time I felt something strange in my chest.

It must be the alcohol.

Looking over at them Evie and Greenie were in deep conversation about something uninteresting to normal people, Clara was chatting away to Flora who looked over and gave a warm smile and a small wave before she leaned on the bar and ordered a drink. There was that strange feeling again. almost like a fluttering in my chest. I have never felt that before, could it be the alcohol? It has never made me feel like this before? Maybe I've been poisoned!? No surely not?

One of my Rooks made a joke but I didn't listen, that was another surprise, usually I give them my undivided attention especially when we are out on the lash. Evie had chosen an empty booth and all were settling into the seats nicely. Another surprise crept up as I had the urge to go sit with them. I see them all the time? Why would I suddenly want to spend time with them? Well Flora certainly but the other three? Usually when they are around not even Flora could keep me there.

Of course Evie and Greenie were sitting next to each other, opposite was Clara next to the wall and Flora was beside her on the end. The fluttering returned again. It was a frustrating feeling; in some desperate attempt to get rid of it I hit my chest, it didn't work.

Without so much of a goodbye I downed my pint and half stumbled over to the booth, plonked myself down beside Flora, making her scoot over to be in the middle, and hit my chest again to make that annoying feeling to fuck off. It really doesn't work in getting rid of it.

'Jacob there is a seat right there.' Evie gestured to the wooden chair that had been pulled up by the end of the table by the previous drunk Rooks who were sitting at this table twenty minuets ago. Honestly I would normally have sat in the chair by the booth instead of squeezing in beside Flora. Dammit there is that feeling again, what is happening?

'Well dear sister, this time I feel like sitting on these cushioned benches. Why do you lot always get the comfort when i'm stuck with the wooden chair?'

'He makes a good point Evie, he doesn't even have a proper bed or his own room either.' The sound of Flora's voice seemed to have triggered a very strong version of this feeling to appear. I hit my chest harder this time gaining confused looks from everyone. 'You alright there Jacob?' Flora's hazel eyes were now examining my face to try and see what was wrong, brilliant now my pulse has quickened... What the fuck is going on?

'I... I don't know... My chest keeps feeling weird.' She put her arm around me then and shook me lightly in a teasing manner, all this gained was my breath to hitch and the fluttering to infuriating.

'Someone needs to lay off the beer.' She removed her arm from me and back onto the table. Oh no... I wanted her touch, even if it was as subtle as a brush of her hand on mine. I just wanted to be near her to feel her touch even if it was the slightest amount...

'Wait a second!'


	2. Chapter 2: 'Jacob you're acting strange'

*Jacob's POV*

"Wait for what?" Clara had spoken, I had noticed but kept staring straight ahead. Without thinking I grabbed Evie's drink, downed it then left the tavern, no doubt gaining 'quizzical looks' as my sister would put it.

I'm sure some of The Rooks called for me but I kept on walking, even when I heard footsteps following me. Evie and Flora had followed me out of the tavern and were calling after me, fuck that! I'm not going to face them and try to explain what's going on!

I was not about to succumb to these emotions like Henry and Evie had. They thought that no one had noticed but it was so obvious. So my plan is to avoid Flora as much as possible until these stupid feelings go away. Then I can concentrate on things such as eliminating the Blighters and every other Templar and then going after Starrick.

Before Flora or Evie could catch up to me I found a Rook carriage, hopping in I told the driver to take me to the station. I would hide at the train hideout for a while and leave whenever Flora was around. This plan had nearly no faults except for when she would spend ages in the hideout doing research with Evie or whoever needed help, like Ned or Clara. She would sometimes spend so long there that I have no chance of being able to completely avoid her while she is there, I can't stay away from the train forever. Thinking about her wanting to help as many people as possible made the fucking flutter emerge again.

I reached the train station and waited nearly an hour for the hideout to arrive. My head was fuzzy, and I'd like to believe it was purely because of the alcohol... Yeah I'm going to stick with that as the primary reason. Once the train arrived I practically collapsed on my makeshift bed that wasn't comfy to sleep on in the slightest.

I woke up to the sight of Flora standing over me with a very concerned expression on her face, well fuck this plan is already failing miserably.

"Jacob are you alright? It was the alcohol wasn't it?" I pinched the bridge of my nose, partly to shield my eyes from the low level of light from the sunset and partly to stop myself from kissing her then and there, well from trying to, she would knock me out before I got close no doubt.

"Yeah I'm fine." Obviously a lie and she probably knew it, instead of debating whether I was alright or not I got up and stumbled to the next car which we made into our own miniature pub. More alcohol was clearly the answer here! My new plan? Drink to forget.

Flora hadn't followed me into the next car, probably thinking I was too drunk for her to make any sense of. This is another perk of alcohol, people think you're making no sense because of it and really you're just not making any sense in general.

On my way to the bar I just had to run into Evie, dammit woman why aren't you in your room instead?

"Jacob what's going on?"

"Nothing! Nothing is going on, I'm fine." Fuck sake I answered too quickly earning that famous frown from my dear sister. I walked round to stand behind the bar so there was a makeshift barrier between me and everyone else except the trusty barman Tom. He has all the gossip on the train, seeing as when people get drunk they tend to get loud and truthful. Damn maybe alcohol was a bad idea after all, I might fuck up and tell someone that I think I like Flora a lot! Wait no! I can't be feeling like that with her, I only like her as a friend.

She just happened to look stunning as she walked through the taverns door earlier with the sun setting behind her, which highlighted her figure even more than her assassins outfit already did, and the fact that she was smiling at what Clara was saying which showed off her cheekbones even more so and that subtle dimple she has on her right cheek, and her hair was falling out of its braid but in an extremely nice way instead of- NO STOP! Okay no stop thinking about her! I don't think of her as anything but a trusted ally and a good friend.

Before Evie began pestering me about whether or not I'm in need of a doctor I ducked behind the bar because Flora had just walked into the room. I was now crouching on the floor so she wouldn't see me, come to think of it Evie is right about the whole stealth method being effective and kind of fun actually. I heard footsteps walk past the bar, so taking my top hat off I peaked over the top of the bar slightly and saw her walk into the next car of the train.

She is probably going to her one that we stole to add to the end of the train to be her room. Now that was a fun day, a lot of laughing was involved in that. Damn now I want to make her laugh like that all the time... NO JACOB MATTHEW FRYE! Stop! This isn't alright I don't need or want to be distracted.

Standing up behind the bar again I made sure to avoid all eye contact with Evie, no one else had noticed my sudden attempt at hiding, except for Evie or Tom but Tom doesn't really question anything.

"Jacob what on earth was all that about?"

"What was all what about?"

Glancing at her slightly she had the even more famous one eyebrow raised and arms crossed look, one she was particularly fond of when I was around.

"What?"

"Why are you acting strange?"

"Er I'm not Evie, maybe you're the one being strange?"

"Well whatever, but I will find out why sooner or later." I waved a hand at her dismissively as she sighed and walked away to her own room. I think I have had enough of alcohol for one day, but of course I had one last drink before going and collapsing on my makeshift bed again.


End file.
